Gearing for automobiles.



No'. 847,914. PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907.

w. LORAWFORD, GEARING FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.30, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INvEN-roR WlLLIRM I. CRAWFORD.

ATT

PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907.

I. CRAWFORD. GEARING FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED APR.30,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- EOR. WILLIAM I. CRAWFORD.

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WILLIAM I. CRAWFORD, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GEARING FOR AUTOMOBILES- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 19, 1907.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM I. CRAWFORD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gearing for Automobiles, of which the following is a speciiication containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference heing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates generally to gearing for automobiles, and more particularly to-.the

'drivin gear and controlling mechanism thereo The particular object of my invention is to provide a simple and easily-operated mechanism for the manipulation and control of an automobile.

A further object of my invention is to construct a simple differential gear and reverse mechanism and to do away with a number of slidin gears that are ordinarily used in the varia le-speed arrangements of automobiles.

My invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims,

and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of an automobileframe provided with my improved drivin mechanism. Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizonta section taken through the center of the variable-speed gearing I make use of in carrying out my invention. Fig. 3 is an enlar ed vertical section taken on the line 3 3 0 Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on the line 4 4 of Fi 2 Fig. 5 is afront elevation of the varial ale-speed gearing with the movable portion thereof at the half-way point in its travel. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the variable-speed gearing inclosed within a suitable casing. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the controllinghandle made use of in carrying out my invention. Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the controlling-h andle seen in Fig. 7.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the automobileframe; 2, the rear axle" of the automobile, which is made in two parts; 3., the front axle, and 4 the engine.

5 designates the engine-shaft, which-extends rearwardly from the engine a suitable distance, and loosely mounted thereon are the ends of a swinging bracket'or frame 6 of approximate U shape, and which frame is arranged to swing below the engine-shaft from one side thereof to the other. (See dotted lines in Fig. 5.) Formed in the arms of the bracket 6, a short distance from the ends thereof, is a pair of alined bearings 7, in which is journaled for rotation a driving-shaft 8, which extends rearwardly from the bracket 6 and which is disposed at a slight angle relative the longitudinal portion of the engine-shaft. Loosely mounted on the forward end of the driving-shaft 8 is a collar 9, to one side of which is pivotally secured one end of a connectin -rod 10, the opposite end of which is pivotalfy connected to the end of the long arm of a bell-crank 11, which is fulcrumed to the right-hand side of the frame 1. Fulcrumed to the right-hand side of the frame 1, to the rear of this bell-crank 11, is an operating-lever 12, the upper portion of which is hollow, and ivotally connected to the lower end of said ever, below the fulcrum-point thereof, is one end of a connecting-rod 13, the opposite end of which is connected to the s ort arm of the bell-crank 11. The lever '12 thus arran ed is utilized for swinging the frame 6 and the forward end of the shaft 8 from one side of the engine-shaft to the other.

A handle 14 is pivotally mounted at 15 to one side of the upper end of the lever-12 in such'a manner as that said handle can be swung forwardly, as indicated by the arrow A in F 7. A spring-pressed catch 16 is fulcrume on the rear side of the handle 14, and the lower end of said catch carries a pin 17, which is ada ted to engage in any one of a series of notc hes 18, formed in the rear side of the upper end of the lever 12. B this construction the handle 14 may he s ifted and held in two different positions besides its normal position in alinement with the lever 12.

The front side of the handle 14 is recessed, as indicated by the dotted lines B, Fig. 7, and

pivotall mounted on the front side of the lever 12, lmmediately below the pivot point 15 ,is the lower end of a lever 19, and connected thereto, adjacent the pivot-point, is 'a rod 20, the lower end of which is connected to a s ringressed locking-bolt 21, which passes t roug a keeper 22 on the lower portion of the lever 12, and thelower end of said bolt is adapted to engage in any one of a series of three notches 23, which are formed in a segment 24, fixed to the frame 1 above the point ing IIO

where the lever 12 is fulcrumed. Thus means is provided for holding the frame 6 and parts carried thereby in three different positions.

Loosely mounted on the pin on which the lever 12 is fulcrumed is a segment 25, in one side of which is formed a concentric slot 26 and with the opposite side of which is formed integral a downwardlyprojecting arm 27. Secured to the latch 16 is a connecting-rod 28, which extends downwardly through the handle 12 and its lower end being connected to a pin 29, which is arranged to slide in the slot 26.

Fixedon the engine-shaft 5, adjacent the front arm of the frame 6, is a key 30, and mounted to slide longitudinally thereon is a pinion 31, having an extra-wide face, and formed integral with the forward end of this pinion is a grooved hub 32. grooved hub is a yoke 33, which is carried by one end of a transversely-disposed rockshaft 34, which is mounted for rotation in suitable bearings 35. Located on the outer end of this rock-shaft 34, which projects beyond the left-hand side of the frame 1, is a vertically-arranged arm 36, to which is connected the forward end of a rod 37, the rear end thereof being connected to the lower end of the arm 27. The end of the inion 31 opposite from the hub 32 is provi ed with a series of ratchet-teeth 38.

Loosely mounted on the engine-shaft to the rear of the pinion 31 is a inion 39, hav ing a wide face and which is s ightly larger in diameter than is said pinion 31. Formed on the hub of this pinion 39, adjacent the pinion 31, is a series of ratchet-teeth 40, which oppose the ratchet-teeth 38, and located upon the engine-shaft between the pinions 31 and 39 is an expansive ooil spring 41, which normally holds said pinions apart, so that the ratchet-teeth formed on the hub thereof do not engage. Formed on the hub on the opposite side of the inion 39 is a series of ratchetteeth 42. oosely mounted on the engine-shaft to the rear of the pinion 39 and immediately inside the rear arm of the frame 6 is a-pinion 43, slightly larger in diameter than is the pinion 39, and formed on the hub of. this pinion 43, adjacent said pinion 39, is a series of ratchet-teeth 44, which oppose the ratchetteeth 42. Located on the shaft 5 between the pinions 39 and 43 is an expansive coil-spring 45,which normally holds the pinions 39 and 43 a art, so that the adjacent ratchetsteeth 42 an 44 do not engage.

Fixed upon the shaft 8, adjacent the rear arm of the frame 6, is a small pinion 47, which is in mesh with the pinion 43. Loosely mounted upon the shaft 8, adjacent this pinion 47 is a slightly-larger pinion 48, which meshes with the pinion 39, and formed in one side of this pinion 48 is a circular recess in which is formed a series of internal t the beveled pinions 6t.

Engaging this semen ratchet-teeth 49. Carried. by a. collar fil which is fixed on the shaft 8, adjacent the pinion 48, is a series of pawls 51, which are adapted to engage the ratchet-teeth -19. Loosely mounted upon the shaft 3, adj :n-ent the collar 50, is a large pinion 52, which meshes with the wide-faccd pinion 31, and formed in one side of this pinion 52 is a circular recess in which is formed a series of internal ratchet-tecth 53. l ixed upon the shaft 8, adjacent the pinion 52, is a collar 51. and carried thereby is a series of pawls 56. adapted to engage the rat chet-teet h 53.

Fixed upon the inner ends of the two parts of the rear axle 2 are beveled gear-- wheels 57, which gears are arranged within a housing 58. in the sides of which the two parts of the axle 2 are journalcd. l lxtending upwardly from the bottom of this housing 53 and in the center thereof is a post 59. and extending downwardly from the top there f is a corresponding post 66. Loosely lnonnted in the socket formed between the adjacent ends of the posts 59 and (it) is a ball til. through which passes the rear portion of thc shaft 8, and there being a slot 61 formed in front of the housing 53 for said shaft s to o erate through. Loosely mounted upon t e shaft 8, on each side of the ball til, :ttc beveled )inions 62, which are adapted to mesh with the beveled gears 57, and formed in the outer faces of said pinions 62 are circn lar recesses in which are formed internal ratchet-teeth 6.3. Fixed upon the shaft adj acent the pinions 62, are collars 6t, carrying pawls 65, which are adapted to engage the internal ratchet-teeth 63. When the frame 6 and parts carried thereby is shifted to its extreme swing to either side of the shaft 5, one of the pinions 62, meshes with one of the gears 57, while the opposite pinion 62 meshes with the opposite gear 57. When the shaft 8 is shifted to a central position, so that its forward end is immediately belon the engine-shaft 5, the pinions 62 are both disengaged by the beveled gears 57. and consequently no motion is imparted to tlnparts of the rear axle.

The operation of my improved drivinggear is as follows: By means of the lover I.) the bellcrank 11 is shifted so as to swing the frame to its extreine limit of movement to- Ward the left hand or to the position as shown in Fig. 1, and when so positioned and the en-- gine 4 is started the rotary motion of the engine-shaft 5 is imparted, by means of the pinion 31, to the large pinion 52, and by reason of the engagement of the points of the pawls 56 with the teeth 53 the shaft 3 is cor respondingly rotated, and this rotary motion is imparted to the parts of the rear axle 2 by the pairs of meshing beveled gears 57 and 62. During this operation the pan'ls (W carried by the collars 54, engage and drive Owing to the relative sizes of the pinions 31 and 52 the vehicle will be driven forward at the lowest speed, and when it is desired to increase the speed the operator engages the handle 14 and swings the same forwardly upon its pivot 15 in the direction indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 7, and in so doing disengages the pin 17 from the lowermost recess 18 in which it was seated, and when the handle has been moved said pin will engage in the middle one of sald recesses, and thus holdsaid handle in ltstllted position. This actuation necessarily shifts the segment 27 slightly, owing to the enga ement of the pin 29 in the upper end of the s ot 26, and which pin is in turn moved by the connecting-rod 28, and as a result the p1Il10I1 31 is shifted longitudinally on the shaft 5 and key 30, thus compressing the spring 41 and engaging the teeth 38 with the teeth 40. Theplnions 31 and 39 now rotate together as one part, and in turn the pinion 48 1s driven, for the reason that the ratchetteeth 49 engage the oints of the pawls ,51. The shaft 8 and vehic e are now being driven at themiddle speed, owing to the comparative sizes of the pinions 39 and 48, and while runnin at this speed the collar 55 and pawls 56 carried thereby will travel faster thanthe' large pinion 52, and said awls will in operat1on slip past the teeth 53 in said large p'inion. When it is desired to drive the vehicle at'the high speed, the operator manipulates the handle 14 and forces the same to its extreme limit of movement forwardly and en-V gages the pm 17 in the upper one of the re-.

cesses 18. This shifts. the segment 27 farther forward and in turn rocks the shaft 34 and by means of the yoke 33 moves the pin- 10118 31 and 39, which are locked together longitudinally upon the shaft 5'unt1l the teeth 42 and 44 engage, and in so doing the coil-spring 45 is compressed, and as a result the pinions 31, 39, and 43 all rotate as one piece and at the same speed as the engineshaft 5. The pinion 43 meshes with the pinion 47 and drives the same, together with the shaft 8, at a high speed, owing to the relative sizes of said pinions, and while traveling at this high speed the pawls 51 and 56 sli past the corresponding ratchet-teeth 49 an 53 of the pinions 48 and 52. The rotary motion thus imparted to the shaft 8 is in turn imparted to the two parts of the rear axle 2 by the beveled (pinions 57 and 62, and said pinions 62 are riven by the engagement of the pawls 65 with the ratchet-teeth 63 which:

pawls are carried-by the collars 64, fixed on the shaft 8,. To change from the hi h speed to the low speed, the operator mere y d1sen gages the pin 17 of the catch 16 from the up- ,ger one of the recesses 18 and brings the hanle 14 into alinement with the lever 12 and allowsthe pin 17 to reengage in the lower- 1 most one of the recesses 18'. The expansive coil-springs 41 and 45 will now move the pinions3l,-'39, and 43 apart, and following this movement the low s eed will be transmitted from the engine-she t to the shaft 8. When -it is desired to throw the driving-gear out of operation and to stop the vehicle, the operator engages the handle 14 and by means of thelever 19 releases the locking-bolt 21 from the beneath the engine-shaft 5. This movement causes the rear portion of the driving-shaft 8, carrying theball 61, to pivotally swing beneath the posts 59 and 60, and as said shaft 8 now assumes a position at right angles to the parts of the rear axle 2 the pinions 6.2 are disenga ed from the beveled ears 57 and conse uent y cease to drive the eveled gears 57 When it is an the parts 2 of the rear axle. desired to reverse the motion of the vehicle or a to cause the same to move rearwardly, the

operator shifts the lever 12 rearwardly, so that the'lockin'g-bolt 21 engages in the rear one of the notches 23. This shifts the bell-crank 11 and moves the frame 6 and parts carried thereby, together with the forward end of the driving-shaftS, to the right hand side of the engine-shaft 5. This movement brings the beveled pinions 62 into engagement with the beveled gears 57, which engagement is reversed in position relative the position assumed' by said pinions and gears when driving the vehicle forward, andfollowing this reverse position the driving-shaft 8 will cause the. parts of the rear axle 2 to rotate toward the rear and move the vehicle in a like direction.

, Owing to the ratchet-and-pawl connectionbetween the pinions 62 and collars 64, fixed on the driving-shaft 8, each part 2 of the rearaxle may move differentially when the vehicle turns a corner or is traveling around a curve.

My improved driving-gear is simple in con- A struction and operation, 1s positive inaction,

comprises a" minimum number of-parts, is easily assembled or taken apart, and can be very readily repaired.

I claim -1. In a gearing for automobiles, the combination with the engine-shaft, of a series of sliding gears arranged upon said shaft, a driving-shaftmounted for rotation in suitable bearings," a driven axle, connections whereby said driving-shaft imparts rotary motion to said axle, a series of gear-wheels mounted upon the driving-shaft and in mesh 7 with the gear-wheels on the engine-shaft, and means whereby the slidin gears on the engine-shaft are locked togefiier; substantia ly as specified. r 2. The combination with the shaft of an engine, of a series of sliding gears arranged on said shaft, means whereby said gears are locked to ether, means arran ed between said gears or normally holding t em apart, a frame arranged to swing upon the engineshaft, :1 driving-shaft journaled in said frame, a series of gears mounted on the drivingshaft within the frame and in mesh with the gears on the engine-shaft, an axle and a drivmg connection between the rear end of the driving-shaft and said axle; substantially as specified.

3. In an automobile, the cdmbination with the rear axle, constructed in two parts, of beveled pinions mounted on the inner ends of the parts of said axle, a driving-shaft fulcrumed between the pinions, pinions loosely mounted upon the drivingshaft in which pinions are formed internal ratchet-teeth, collars fixed upon the driving-shaft, pawls carried by said collars for engaging with the ratchet-teeth, and means whereby the drivingt-shaft is shifted from one position toanot er to reverse the position of engagement of the two sets of beveled pinions; substantially as specified.

ear-ma 4. The combination with the shaft of an engine, of a series of different-sized gear- Wheels mounted on said shaft certain of which gear-wheels are arranged to slide, means whereby said gear-wheels are locked together so as to rotate with the engine-shaft, an axle, a driving-shaft suitably journaled and arranged to impart rotary motion to said axle, a series of different-sized gearwheels arranged u on the driving-shaft and which mesh with t e gear-wheels on the engine-shaft, certain of which gear-wheels are oosely mounted on the drivingshaft, means whereby the loosely-mounted ear-Wheels are locked so as to move with t e drivingshaft, and means whereby the sliding gears on the engine-shaft are shifted from one p0- sition to another; substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM I. CRAWFORD.

Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, Enw. M. HARRINGTON. 

